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Sunday, October 30, 2011

Many thanks to Dawn Carl of of All Things Genealogical of New Orleans for the wonderful photographs she gave permission to use. The photos are of St.Roch's Cemetery and Relics Room in NOLA, and with tomorrow, November 1 being All Saint's Day, I'll post more about this beautiful cemetery and the others in New Orleans' Cities of the Dead.

"Mr. Joachim, what is all this?What are you doing here and why are there pennies and snakes everywhere?" I ask, again as if I didn't know.

He looks up, a mixture of curiosity and joy and ... is that a twinkle I see in his eyes?

copyrightDawnCarlallrightsreserved
the actual floor of the relics room at St.Roch's, used with permission

“Noooo!”

I catch my breath. Mignon can make a helluva entrance.

I’m getting used to this; nothing fazes me anymore. Well, not like it used to anyway. Police crouched against the front of the house, Mignon’s hellcat tirade at decibel levels, people recording everything with their camera phones ….

And all I can think about is the sooner I unload the Missile, the sooner I can go-

I force the thought down and away. Not going there again. New thoughts, new habits. The sooner I unload, the sooner I can handle Mr. Joachim and the newest crisis Mignon’s just handed me on a plate.

Like a pair of St.Lucy’s eyeballs.

With one bottle cuddled under my arm and against my side, I grip the neck of the second and get out to open the back of the Missile.

“Ma’am, step away from the car please.” Oh. No.

An overzealous newbie security guard. Probably his first day chasing La Mignon through the mean streets of his private gated community. Well, if there’s one thing I know, it’s how to get a guy to do the grunt work.

“You the new guy?” I ask him sweetly. Yep, flirt straight for the kill.

I turn to blind him with my smile, but the sun over his head blinds me instead. It sears my eyes and in seconds tears flow and I’m all squinch-y and then… my nose. Well, it’s not pretty.

Instinctively I raise my hand to stop what’s running away. The bottle slips from my side and before I know it the arms of one very solid man catches the bottle – and me.

“Yeah,” he whispers nice and low and a little rough, too close to my ear, too close to me. I feel his heartbeat through silky cotton, smell soap and man sweat, see stubble on his jaw and the pink of his lips and his deepset dark brown eyes… I can see again. “New guy. Name’s Herman.” He reaches behind to his back pocket and pulls out a handkerchief. “You okay?”

I want to bury my face in that piece of cotton and scrub the scent of him into my pores. But that would freak him out and so I dab daintily and sniff.

“Thanks. I’m good.”

“Mignon LeBouef?” he asks me.

Cue the hysterical lady.

“Snakes! Charley? Charley he has snakes in here!” Mignon stomps past the police and security guards to confront me.“Snakes! You hear me? Not just a scaffold, but snakes! You need to come fix this!”

Then, to Mr.Spectacular, “Oh hello. And you are…?”

Herman pulled his gaze away and I take my bottle from his hand. “Mignon LeBouef? Herman Richards , Halloween Orleans.”

Marching up to the door, I repeat my new mantra to myself for courage. “Fix the problem. Fix the problem. Fix the problem.”

Inside the reception hall the policemen stand and stare at the mural on the walls, talking in low tones to each other, sliding their feet over something on the floor.

Pennies. Shiny orange ones, dull black ones, and every shade of copper in between. Everywhere – on floors, and stair treads, on chairs and window sills.

And snakes. Two big black ringed California kingsnakes, and one big white –

“Is that a boa constrictor?” I ask out loud, as if we didn’t already know.

"What do you MEAN he's got scaffolding set up over the dining room table?" Mignon stomped on the gas and hurtled us forward. One moment my boss, Mignon LeBoeuf, owner and head designer of Inside Out Interiors was a sweet, savvy, southern diva with more bling than one of her overpriced chandeliers.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Diana Duncan graciously answered a ton of questions I posed, so I'm putting some more up today for your enjoyment. Don't forget to comment for a chance to win a download of one of her ebooks:

Deal with the Devil, the Devlish Devlin series

OR her newest, just - released - yesterday paranormal romance, Sword of the Raven

"...The entire theme of the book is how we can’t always stop or control the things that hurt us, but we can choose to triumph over them. I have to admit, I cried when I wrote that part. In fact, I cried more writing this story than any other. But when I made it through to the happy ending, it felt really great."

Check out yesterday's post here for her writing advice, encouragement, and what men wear under their kilts.

You know I live in Atlanta, where the zombie apocalypse is filmed on a weekly schedule....

Thursday, October 20, 2011

I'm proud to be a member of the Southern Savers Community. We're a group of coupon savvy people, and we help each other with savings ideas and commiserate when our couponing strategies get thwarted by untrained cashiers.
Most of all we have a good time on Jenny's site chatting and helping each other out.
Some of these couponers are extreme, but many are not. And trust me, we've discussed the subject ad nauseum!

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Monday, join me here for a review of Annie Rayburn's Phantoms & Fantasies. And leave a comment for a chance to win a download of this book, where Zeenie and Turk find each other but Zeenie harbors a secret hurt that may just be too big for Turk to overcome.

We're also giving away a download of Insight, Annie's introductory short to her Crainesians species. Don't worry if you don't think you like science fiction - Crainesians are almost human, blending into the human species seamlessly, except for their elevated empathic skills and ability to recognize their lifemates the first time they set eyes on each other.

That's what makes her books so good - when her heroines recognize their lifemates, well... you'll have to wait to find out!

Annie might have a few other goodies to offer too - but you have to comment to win!

And the best part? She'll be giving away one copy of Phantoms & Fantasies all week on the other GRI blogs!

Plus, if you comment one day or every day, you'll have one to five chances at Annie's big prize on Saturday --

"Because my books all revolve around matters of the heart, the grand prize will be a beautiful collection of semi-precious heart pendants and necklaces encased in their own wooden jewelry box."
--Annie Rayburn

Next week will be filled with Zeenie & Turk... and more Versatile Bloggers to get to know!

Stop by here Monday, and leave a comment for a chance to win one of Monday's prizes:
a download of Phantoms & Fantasies, OR a download of Insight, OR these coupons for Victoria's Secret Heart Breakers Lace:

Friday, October 14, 2011

It's just a perfectly gorgeous day today.
After a full week of gloom and rain - which the grass & plants all needed badly - the sky is bright blue again, and the sun sparkles through the greengold leaves of the birch trees.
Autumn is one gawdy season, isn't she?
But she should be - pure in all her scarlet and orange clashing glory....

I'm back from Writergirl camp... better known as Moonlight & Magnolias. It was so much fun -

and there are pictures posted everywhere of everybody having a great time.

I met so many new writers and authors, Pitch Workshop went fabulously (as I knew it would, thanks to all my wonderful Author Coaches & Writers), and I had some good conversations with Eloisa James, Leigh Michaels, and Karen White (who offered up some excellent memory tips I must share with you all).

Yes, it was all work AND play -- especially with the Wine & Moonshine Party (I have a recipe to post for you all) and the Maggie Awards! More of that to come....

But today, an extra special treat from a lovely friend - Leeanne Gagnon!

Leanne's blog, Books Read n'Makeup Done, is great for reading new author interviews & discovering new reads. But Leeanne has a Passion for makeup -- check out her newest Facebook page Reading Makeup for some great Halloween makeup ideas here) .

So.... while I gather my wits and write a report of what I learned at Moonlight & Magnolias, please read Leeanne's post today and leave a comment to say hello!

Makeup History Comes Full Circle

Makeup has been part of civilization for decades, though it was widely used

throughout the world it was often frowned upon. Before the 1920’s it was actually